Wednesday, June 19, 2013

The Universal Life Force Energy

The movie “Star Wars” is famous for
its idea of “the Force” which is described as “an energy field created by all
living things that surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.”
Though the Force is treated as fiction
by Hollywood and most Westerners, in fact the concept has a rich history around
the world.In traditional Chinese
philosophy and medicine it is called “Chi.” Japanese mystics and martial
artists call it “Ki.”Indian yogis and
sadhus call it “Prana.”The Ancient
Greeks called it “Pneuma.”Jewish
Kabbalists call it “Nefish.”Christians
call it the “Holy Ghost.”Muslims call
it “Baraka.”And the Polynesians call it
“Mana.”

"Qi or chi
is the source of everything, the building block of all things. Human beings are
made of living cells, and when we look into each cell we see a membrane, the
nucleus and so on. Then if you look further into that structure you’ll see
atoms - electrons, protons, and neutrons. And if you look even further,
scientists now tell us that they can see energy there. However, according to
the 5,000-year-old Chinese Qigong theory, if you go beyond scientific
measurement - this is called the chi level. We can communicate with the chi
level using our minds to do different things, such as healing." - Luke
Chan, Chi Kung Master

Chi has
been studied and written about for over ten thousand years in diverse places
such as China, Japan, India, Tibet, Nepal, Hawaii, and South America.It is the foundation of numerous health and
fitness practices around the world including Chi Kung, Falun Gong, Reiki,
Therapeutic Touch, Acupressure and Acupuncture, Reflexology, Orgone Therapy,
Pranayama, Yoga, Feng Shui, and Martial Arts.

“Through scientific experiment they have demonstrated that there may
be such a thing as a life force flowing through the universe – what has
variously been called collective consciousness or, as theologians have termed
it, the Holy Spirit.They have provided
a plausible explanation of all those areas over the centuries mankind has had
faith in but no solid evidence of or adequate accounting for, from the
effectiveness of alternative medicine and even prayer to life after death.They have offered us, in a sense, a science
of religion.”-Lynne McTaggart, “The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe,” (XXVIII)

“In
Chinese philosophy, the field idea is not only implicit in the notion of the
Tao as being empty and formless, and yet producing all forms, but is also expressed
explicitly in the concept of ch’i. This term played an important role in almost
every Chinese school of natural philosophy … The word ch’i literally means
‘gas’ or ‘ether’, and was used in ancient China to denote the vital breath or
energy animating the cosmos.In the
human body, the ‘pathways of ch’i’ are the basis of traditional Chinese
medicine. The aim of acupuncture is to stimulate the flow of ch’i through these
channels. The flow of ch’i is also the basis of the flowing movements of T’ai
Chi Ch’uan, the Taoist dance of the warrior.Thus ch’i condenses and disperses rhythmically, bringing forth
all forms which eventually dissolve into the Void. As Chang Tsai says again,
The Great Void cannot but consist of ch’i; this ch’i cannot but condense to form
all things; and these things cannot but become dispersed so as to form (once
more) the Great Void.As in quantum
field theory, the field - or the ch’i - is not only the underlying essence of
all material objects, but also carries their mutual interactions in the form of
waves.”-Fritjof
Capra, “The Tao of Physics” (214)

Qigong (Chi Kung) is the Chinese name for the practice of cultivating
life force energy.Throughout its over 5,000
year history Qigong has been found to have countless health benefits such as
increasing core strength, blood flow, bone density, enzyme activity, serum
lipid levels, cardiovascular, endocrine and immune functions.It reduces stress, hypertension, and risk of
stroke, cures asthma, and has anti-cancer and anti-aging effects.When emitted from a Qigong master, Chi has
been scientifically verified to aid in seed germination, increase the growth of
plants and various cell cultures, and reduce the size of malignant tumors.When measurements are taken between a skilled
Qigong master and receiver, amazingly both show identical blood pressure,
respiration, skin conductivity, EEG, and heart rate variability.(Kenneth M. Sancier PhD “Multifaceted
Health Benefits of Medical Qigong”)

Doctors
at the Philadelphia Biomedical Research Institute have performed a number of
experiments testing life force energy with fascinating results.Working in conjunction with Japanese Ki
Master Kozo Nishino, the Philadelphia BioMed doctors created several experiments
to test the efficacy of Ki healing.In
their first experiment doctors took control blood samples of 21 volunteers, assayed
the activity of their NK (natural killer) cells, and tested stress levels.Next the volunteers attended a 90 minute Ki
breathing session led by Master Nishino. Afterwards the volunteers were tested again
and the results were significant.The NK
cell activity of 17 volunteers increased and stress hormone levels of all 21
decreased.PBRI doctors concluded that
Ki breathing “can effectively enhance the immunoregulatory system and
reduce stress even after one class which indicates that the method would help
improve the health of its practitioners if they continue to practice it.”

Long term students of
Pranayama/Ki breathing have been found to consistently have higher bone density
rates than the average population.This
fact spurred a second experiment to test the effect of Ki energy on
osteoblastic (bone forming) and osteoclastic (bone dissoluting) cells.First they had Master Nishino send Ki from
his hands into 2 petri dishes of osteoblastic bone marrow cells for 5 and 10
minutes respectively.Next the cells
were seeded in Fetal Bovine Serum, cultured for 72 hours, then counted.The dish given 5 minutes of Ki increased cell
production by 6%, and the dish given 10 minutes of Ki increased cell production
by 12%, both of which are quite significant.For the osteoclastic cells they had Master Nishino send Ki from his
hands into 2 petri dishes of bone marrow for 5 and 10 minutes, then added
parathyroid hormone to stimulate resorption and counted the cells one week
later.This time the difference between
the 5 and 10 minute samples was insignificant, but the difference between the
control dishes and Ki infused dishes was radical.After 7 days the Ki infused dishes contained
approximately 38% less osteoclastic cells.Doctors at Philadelphia BioMed concluded that such results suggest that
Pranayama/Ki therapy can indeed help heal and prevent degenerative bone
diseases like osteoporosis.

In
a third experiment PBRI doctors tested the effects of Qigong on cancer.This time they used human liver
carcinoma cells, subjected them to 5 and 10 minute Ki sessions, cultured them
overnight, then measured cell numbers, protein concentration per cell, mRNA
expressions and regucalcin synthesis.Compared with the control (non-treated) cells, they found the Ki-exposed
cultures contained 30.3% and 40.6% less cancer cells, and the protein content
per cell in the Ki-exposed cultures were 38.8% and 62.9% higher
respectively.They found that the mRNA
expression for “c-myc,” a tumor stimulator gene, was decreased and regucalcin,
which suppresses DNA synthesis, was increased.

“We undertook this
study to obtain objective and scientific evidence as to whether or not a
'Ki-effect' could inhibit the growth of cultured cancer cells … Our molecular
biological studies and mathematical model analysis demonstrated that Ki-energy
inhibited cancer cell division. The data also indicate that the Ki-effects
involve some form of infrared radiation from the human body. This study
suggests the possibility that Ki-energy may be beneficial for cancer patients
because it suppresses cancer cell growth, and at the same time, it stimulates
immune functions of the patients.”-Onishi T, Nishino K, Tsurusaki Y, Yamaguchi M, “Growth Inhibition of
Cultured Human Liver Carcinoma Cells by Ki-Energy (Life Energy): Scientific
Evidence for Ki-Effects on Cancer Cells”

“Cancer is one
of the leading causes of death among human beings. Most current treatments for
cancer … come with significant drawbacks, including toxicity, costs and
potential harm to both mood and immune function. Therefore, an effective
non-pharmacological therapy for cancer with less cost and no side effects could
have a major impact on cancer treatment. Qigong therapy shows promise in
treating cancer and preliminary studies report immediate improvement without
side effects and even complete remission in patients who engaged in ongoing
practice … Studies on Qigong and it’s curative effect on cancer have
demonstrated consistent results for its inhibitory effect on cancer growth and
metastasis, in both in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as in clinical
observation … Our review suggests that this therapy should be
seriously examined and be considered as an important supplement to conventional
cancer treatment and other chronic diseases … Unlike other
alternative medicines, which are only able to cope with symptoms, Qigong
therapy focuses on the entire body and its health system. Our review suggests
that Qigong therapy may actually stop and prevent cancer growth, and help
patients recover from many different diseases at the same time.”–Kevin Chan and Raphael Yeung, “A Review of Qigong Therapy
For Cancer Treatment”

For
their final study, the PBRI team designed an experiment suggested by their
Ki-expert Kozo Nishino.Since most Ki
cultivation techniques involve deep breathing and breathe regulation, Kozo
Nishino believed that mitochondria (cells’ respiratory power plants) may play a
key role in maintaining vitality and health.To test the hypothesis the team used isolated rat liver mitochondria and
applied Ki energy as before.The results
showed that Ki had a very beneficial effect protecting mitochondria,
maintaining cellular metabolism, and decreasing the occurrence of unnecessary
apoptosis (programmed cell death).Using infrared and visible range filters they also observed that
Ki-effects involve near-infrared radiation with a wavelength range between
0.8 and 2.7 μm.

“We
are demonstrating that so-called ‘Ki-energy’ is a natural phenomenon, and
therefore, it can be analyzed by rigorous scientific and objective
investigations. A ‘breathing method’ developed by a Japanese Ki-expert, Kozo
Nishino, stimulated immune activity of practitioners and lowered their stress
levels. We then reported that his Ki-energy inhibited cell division of cultured
human carcinoma cells. Since ‘breathing’ is directly related to oxygen
respiration, he has long proposed that mitochondria may play a key role in
maintaining vitality and health. This led us to undertake the project to
explore a possible relationship between Ki-energy and mitochondrial function.”-Onishi T, Nishino K, “Ki-Energy
(Life-Energy) Protects Isolated Rat Liver Mitochondria from Oxidative Injury”

More verification for Ki/Chi’s
medical efficacy has come with Harvard professor Dr. Herbert Benson’s recent
studies involving the Relaxation Response and gene expression.The Relaxation Response (RR) is the
physiological counterpoint to the Fight or Flight (FF) stress response.RR is characterized by decreased oxygen
consumption and increased nitric oxide and carbon dioxide elimination, reduced
blood pressure, heart and respiration rate, alterations in cortical/subcortical
brain regions, and low psychological distress; FF is characterized by the exact
opposite. Various forms of meditation, yoga, deep breathing, tai chi, qigong,
repetitive prayer, progressive muscle relaxation, and other techniques all
elicit this Relaxation Response.Acting
through the same underlying mechanism, practitioners of these various
disciplines all share (what would otherwise be) very unique physiological
profiles and gene expression changes.

"Changes
in the activation of these same genes have previously been seen in conditions
such as post-traumatic stress disorder; but the relaxation response-associated
changes were the opposite of stress-associated changes and were much more
pronounced in the long-term practitioners."-Dr. Herbert Benson, “Genomic Counter-Stress
Changes Induced by the Relaxation Response”

Dr.
Benson’s team took blood samples and assessed transcriptional profiles from
three groups: long-term practitioners of various RR techniques (5-10 years),
short-term practitioners (8 weeks), and a control group of healthy non-practitioners.They found that the expressions of 2,209
genes were significantly different between the long-term practitioners and the
non-practitioners, and the expressions of 1,561 genes were similarly
significantly different between the short-term practitioners and
non-practitioners.More specifically,
the results showed that long-term (and short-term to a lesser degree)
cultivation of RR changes the expression of genes involved with inflammation,
programmed cell death, the treatment of free radicals, cellular metabolism, and
response to oxidative stress.

“My studies, along with those of several researchers in the USA,
revealed that Transcendental Meditation elicited physiological changes that
were the exact opposite to the stress response. Virtually every indicator of stress,
from heart rate and blood pressure to body chemistry and brain activity,
changed in the opposite direction during meditation. Herbert Benson of Harvard
Medical School dubbed this the ‘relaxation response,’ and almost overnight
meditation became respectable. Doctors began recommending it to patients;
teachers encouraged students to take it up; even city business people took
lessons on the quiet.”-Peter Russell, “From Science to God”

Similar
studies of Chinese Qigong, Indian Pranayama, and Japanese Johrei practitioners
have also gleaned similar results.Published in the 2005 “Journal of Alternative and Complement Medicine,”
doctors at the Texas Center for Immunology performed “Genomic Profiling of
Neutrophil Transcripts in Asian Qigong Practitioners.”They found that long-term Qigong
practitioners had enhanced immunity, down-regulated cellular metabolism, and
apoptotic gene alteration in favor of rapid resolution of inflammation.The lifespan of normal neutrophils (white
blood cells) was prolonged while the lifespan of inflammatory neutrophils was
decreased.Doctors concluded that Qigong
practice seems to regulate immunity, metabolic rate, and cell death at the
transcriptional (DNA/RNA) level.

India’s
Institute of Medical Sciences published their findings regarding gene
expression profiling of Pranayama practitioners in the 2008 “Journal of
Psychosomatic Research.”Much like the
Qigong study, doctors found that long-term Pranayama practitioners showed
effects on immunity, aging, cell death, and stress reduction through
transcriptional regulation.Compared to
a control group of 42 healthy non-practitioners, 42 Pranayama masters showed
better antioxidant status at the RNA level, higher enzyme activity, better stress
regulation and immune function (due to prolonged life span of lymphocytes by
up-regulation of anti-apoptotic/pro-survival genes).

Johrei
is a Japanese spiritual practice much like Reiki, Qigong, or Pranayama which
utilizes life force energy as a healing modality.A group of scientists lead by Dean Radin
exposed cultured astrocyte brain cells to repeated Johrei sessions and found
that they flourished and grew much faster than control astrocytes.By doing nothing but focusing a certain type
of intention / concentration onto these cells, they flourished compared to the
non-treated cells.In other words,
cultivation of life force energy results in increased brain cell growth.

“Research
on Mind-Body approaches is accelerating. One of a number of characteristics of
Mind-Body practice is the purposeful elicitation of the Relaxation Response
(RR). The various forms of practices which elicit the RR include Tai Chi, Qi
Gong, Yoga, meditation, repetitive prayer, breathing exercises, progressive
muscle relaxation, biofeedback, guided visualization, affirmation, etc. These
methods tend to trigger physiological and perhaps energetic mechanisms that
move the body into a state of deep rest. It appears that this can literally
change how genes behave in response to stress. Mind-Body practices that produce
the Relaxation Response have been used by people across cultures for thousands
of years to prevent and treat disease and generate states of mind that foster
greater performance and intuitive insight. Recently, a number of studies have
turned toward investigation of the effect that Mind-Body practice can have on
genetic expression. In research on natural healing, functional maximization and
holistic, complementary and integrative medicine there has been a growing trend
away from simply studying disease mechanisms and outcomes, toward the study of
the subtle factors that predispose individuals for sustainable wellbeing as
well as for disease. Gene expression is an emerging arena wherein the total
continuum – from wellbeing to disease – can be effectively investigated.”–Roger Jahnke MD, “Researching the Benefits
of Mind-Body Practice by Investigating Genetic Expression”

7
comments:

Hey Eric. Great post. A few years ago I saw a demonstration by the Shaolin monks at the Brisbane entertainment center. They did some pretty cool things but I was most impressed by the monk who threw a needle straight through a sheet of glass leaving what looked like a bullet hole.

On that note, I remember watching an interview with Dan Inosanto talking about the time he and Bruce were watching a demonstration with people bending spears and swords against their neck and Dan said "That's impressive" and Bruce replied "Give me the sword, I'll make it go through" :)

Notice the similarities between the Kundalini Yoga picture and the Masonic tracing board? The Sun, Moon, and Third Eye or the Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna nadis are analogous to Boaz, Jachin and the middle pillar of Masonry. The Masonic heart symbol is where the Kundalini heart chakra is. The ladders symbolize spiritual ascension just as the Kundalini serpent symbolizes ascension up the tree of life (spine). Conscious awakening is a yogic science that's existed for thousands of years and Masons have encoded their own version for their initiates.